1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for fuming an object suspected of containing latent fingerprints thereon with vapors of the chemical cyanoacrylate and more particularly to a gauze pad which is treated with a composition which includes chlorinated organic solvents and which functions as a base for activating an alkylcyanoacrylate fuming acton in order to generate rapid and prolonged fuming with the vapors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,383, entitled Apparatus and Method for Obtaining Fingerprints, issued to Louis P. Bourdon on Oct. 27, 1981, teaches an apparatus and method for developing latent fingerprints on an object. The apparatus includes a first chamber which contains the object and which closes in order to seal the first chamber air-tight and form a vapor tank and a second chamber which contains a chemical pool and vapors thereof. The apparatus also includes a pump system which pumps vapors from the second chamber into the vapor tank. The method includes the step of pumping the vapors into the vapor tank in order to fume the object with the vapors of the chemical cyanoacrylate and to develop the latent fingerprints on the object being tested inside the vapor tank. U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,003 teaches a similar apparatus and method for obtaining latent fingerprints.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,645, entitled Latent Fingerprint Detection, issued to F. Michael Kerr and Alan D. Westland on Apr. 7, 1981, teaches a method of detecting and visualizing a latent fingerprint which includes the step of applying a solution to a suspected locale. The solution includes a volatile organic solvent and selected salts soluble in the volatile organic solvent. The salts include silver perchlorate and silver trifluoroacetate. The non-aqueous solution is preferrably applied as a spray and minimizes smudging, "running", warping, and other damage to water-sensitive materials such as inks, dyes and/on cellulosis substrates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,073, entitled Taking of Finger Prints, issued to John M. Payne on Mar. 24, 1981, teaches a method of revealing a fingerprint which includes the steps of charging a surface bearing the fingerprint to a high electric potential and applying a finely divided carbon to the charged surface in order to form a pattern thereon which corresponds to the fingerprint. The method of revealing a fingerprint also includes the steps of either dusting or spraying the finely divided carbon onto the charged surface and applying a transparent protective layer in order to fix the pattern of finely divided carbon in position. Alternatively the finely divided carbon may be in suspension in a dielectric liquid into which the charged surface is introduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,159, entitled Magnetic Fingerprint Dusting Brush, issued to John M. Payne on Apr. 26, 1983, teaches a magnetic fingerprint dusting brush which includes a handle which incorporates a magnetic portion that projects at one end thereof and a non-magnetic shroud which is assembled with the handle closely to shroud the projecting magnetic portion. The shroud includes an inner blind sleeve for closely shrouding the projecting magnetic portion and an outer sleeve to which a cover is detachably secured. The inner blind sleeve has a first portion of greater cross-section for assembly with the handle and a coaxial second portion of lesser cross-section which is connected to the first portion through a shoulder for closely shrouding the projecting magnetic portion. The magnetic fingerprint dusting brush also includes a cover which is detachably securable to the handle and shroud assembly to form in its secured position an enclosed powder reservoir around the shrouded magnetic portion of the handle. The shroud and the cover assembly constitute a powder cartridge with the handle. The powder reservoir contains a mixture of ferrous and dusting powder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,178, entitled Fingerprinting System, issued to Louis B. Meadows and Arthur S. Diamond on Apr. 5, 1983, teaches a method for forming fingerprint images which includes the steps of prewetting and cleaning the portion of a finger with a cloth impregnated with a detergent solution and applying the distal portion of a finger to a porous pad impregnated with a solution of marking compound. The method for forming fingerprint images also includes the steps of applying the distal portion of the finger to square of a fingerprint card impregnated with an aqueous solution of a polyhydroxy developer, such as a solution of 8-hydroxy-quinoline and propyl gallate containing a high molecular weight dibasic acid, such as azelaic acid and, when the fingerprint image immediately develops, removing traces of the images with a cloth impregnated with a cleaning solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,644, entitled Depositing Latent Fingerprints and Development Thereof, issued to Edward J. Goettert and George V. D. Tiers on Mar. 31, 1981, teaches a method of depositing and developing a latent fingerprint which includes the steps of making a composition which includes a trimeric aliphatic acid of at least 30 carbon atoms which is substantive to paper fibers, substantially non-volatile, non-hardening, non-toxic and non-hydroscopic and using the composition to apply the fingerprint, which has a latency of several weeks, to a paper substrate. The method of depositing and developing a latent fingerprint also includes the steps of dusting the latent fingerprints in the conventional manner with a suitable toner particles, such as magnetic particles in an oleophilic matrix and developing the latent fingerprint.